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forests； a suspected road agent； or anything to give you the right to hunt
him。 The exposure of him and Nellie； don't you see； must be accidental。
If he resists； kill him on the spot； and nobody'll blame you； if he goes
peaceably with you； and you once get him in Excelsior jail； when the story
gets out that he's taken the belle of Excelsior for his squaw； if you'd the
angels for your posse you couldn't keep the boys from hanging him to the
first tree。 What's that？〃
He walked to the window； and looked out cautiously。
〃If it was the old man coming back and listening；〃 he said； after a
pause； 〃it can't he helped。 He'll hear it soon enough； if he don't suspect
something already。〃
〃Look yer； Brace；〃 broke in Dunn hoarsely。 〃Dd if I understand you
or you me。 That dog Low has got to answer to ME； not to the LAW！
I'll take my risk of killing him； on sight and on the square。 I don't reckon
to handicap myself with a warrant； and I am not going to draw him out
with a lie。 You hear me？ That's me all the time！〃
〃Then you calkilate to go down thar；〃 said Brace contemptuously； 〃yell
out for him and Nellie； and let him line you on a rest from the first tree as
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if you were a grizzly。〃
There was a pause。 〃What's that you were saying just now about a
bearskin he sold？〃 asked Dunn slowly； as if reflecting。
〃He exchanged a bearskin；〃 replied Brace； 〃with a single hole right
over the heart。 He's a dead shot； I tell you。〃
〃Dn his shooting；〃 said Dunn。 〃I'm not thinking of that。 How
long ago did he bring in that bearskin？〃
〃About two weeks； I reckon。 Why？〃
〃Nothing！ Look yer； Brace； you mean wellthar's my hand。 I'll go
down with you there； but not as the sheriff。 I'm going there as Jim Dunn；
and you can come along as a white man； to see things fixed on the square。
Come！〃
Brace hesitated。 〃You'll think better of my plan before you get there；
but I've said I'd stand by you； and I will。 Come； then。 There's no time to
lose。〃
They passed out into the darkness together。
〃What are you waiting for？〃 said Dunn impatiently； as Brace； who was
supporting him by the arm； suddenly halted at the corner of the house。
〃Some one was listeningdid you not see him？ Was it the old man？〃
asked Brace hurriedly。
〃Blast the old man！ It was only one of them Mexican packers chock…
full of whisky； and trying to hold up the house。 What are you thinking of？
We shall be late。〃
In spite of his weakness； the wounded man hurriedly urged Brace
forward； until they reached the latter's lodgings 。 To his surprise； the
horse and buggy were already before the door。
〃Then you reckoned to go； any way？〃 said Dunn； with a searching
look at his companion。
〃I calkilated SOMEBODY would go；〃 returned Brace； evasively；
patting the impatient Buckskin； 〃but come in and take a drink before we
leave。〃
Dunn started out of a momentary abstraction； put his hand on his hip；
and mechanically entered the house。 They had scarcely raised the glasses
to their lips when a sudden rattle of wheels was heard in the street。 Brace
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set down his glass and ran to the window。
〃It's the mare bolted；〃 he said； with an oath。 〃We've kept her too long
standing。 Follow me；〃 and he dashed down the staircase into the street。
Dunn followed with difficulty； when he reached the door he was already
confronted by his breathless companion。 〃She's gone off on a run； and I'll
swear there was a man in the buggy！〃 He stopped and examined the
halter…strap； still fastened to the fence。 〃Cut！ by God！〃
Dunn turned pale with passion。 〃Who's got another horse and
buggy？〃 he demanded。
〃The new blacksmith in Main Street； but we won't get it by
borrowing；〃 said Brace。
〃How then？〃 asked Dunn savagely。
〃Seize it； as the sheriff of Yuba and his deputy； pursuing a confederate
of the Injin LowTHE HORSE THIEF！〃
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CHAPTER VIII
The brief hour of darkness that preceded the dawn was that night
intensified by a dense smoke； which； after blotting out horizon and sky；
dropped a thick veil on the high road and the silent streets of Indian Spring。
As the buggy containing Sheriff Dunn and Brace dashed through the
obscurity； Brace suddenly turned to his companion。
〃Some one ahead！〃
The two men bent forward over the dashboard。 Above the steady
plunging of their own horse…hoofs they could hear the quicker irregular
beat of other hoofs in the darkness before them。
〃It's that horse thief！〃 said Dunn； in a savage whisper。 〃Bear to the
right； and hand me the whip。〃
A dozen cuts of the cruel lash； and their maddened horse； bounding at
each stroke； broke into a wild canter。 The frail vehicle swayed from side
to side at each spring of the elastic shafts。 Steadying himself by one
hand on the low rail； Dunn drew his revolver with the other。 〃Sing out to
him to pull up； or we'll fire。 My voice is clean gone；〃 he added； in a
husky whisper。
They were so near that they could distinguish the bulk of a vehicle
careering from side to side in the blackness ahead。 Dunn deliberately
raised his weapon。 〃Sing out！〃 he repeated impatiently。 But Brace； who
was still keeping in the shadow； suddenly grasped his companion's arm。
〃Hush！ It's NOT Buckskin；〃 he whispered hurriedly。
〃Are you sure？〃
〃DON'T YOU SEE WE'RE GAINING ON HIM？〃 replied the other
contemptuously。 Dunn grasped his companion's hand and pressed it
silently。 Even in that supreme moment this horseman's tribute to the
fugitive Buckskin forestalled all baser considerations of pursuit and
capture！
In twenty seconds they were abreast of the stranger； crowding his
horse and buggy nearly into the ditch； Brace keenly watchful； Dunn
suppressed and pale。 In half a minute they were leading him a length；
and when their horse again settled down to his steady work； the stranger
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was already lost in the circling dust that followed them。 But the victors
seemed disappointed。 The obscurity had completely hidden all but the
vague outlines of the mysterious driver。
〃He's not our game； anyway；〃 whispered Dunn。 〃Drive on。〃
〃But if it was some friend of his；〃 suggested Brace uneasily； 〃what
would you do？〃
〃What I SAID I'd do；〃 responded Dunn savagely。 〃I don't want five
minutes to do it in； either； we'll be half an hour ahead of that dd fool；
whoever he is。 Look here； all you've got to do is to put me in the trail to
that cabin。 Stand back of me； out of gun…shot； alone； if you like； as my
deputy； or with any number you can pick up as my posse。 If he gets by
me as Nellie's lover； you may shoot him or take him as a horse thief； if you
like。〃
〃Then you won't shoot him on sight？〃
〃Not till I've had a word with him。〃
〃But〃
〃I've chirped；〃 said the sheriff gravely。 〃Drive on。〃
For a few moments only the plunging hoofs and rattling wheels were
heard。 A dull； lurid glow began to define the horizon。 They were silent
until an abatement of the smoke； the vanishing of the gloomy horizon line；
and a certain impenetrability in the darkness ahead showed them they
were nearing the Carquinez Woods。 But they were surprised on entering
them to find the dim aisles alight with a faint mystic Aurora。 The tops